UW Tech Policy Lab – Initial Contact Packet

To: rcalo@uw.edu
CC: batya@uw.edu

Subject: Seattle Community Group Seeking Engagement on AI Policy Issues

Dear Professor Calo and Professor Friedman,

I am reaching out on behalf of "Responsible AI" - a group of Seattle residents who have come together over common concerns about AI policy that could affect our region and the broader public.

After learning about the Tech Policy Lab's work we believe there may be opportunities for our community group to engage with your research and policy efforts. Your group's contact information is on the Tech Policy Lab website but we weren't certain who would be the best person to receive this inquiry, so we're reaching out to you both as Faculty Directors.

I've attached a brief introduction letter that outlines our group, our letter-writing campaigns, and our interest in potentially collaborating with or contributing to Tech Policy Lab initiatives.

If either of you is the appropriate contact for community engagement inquiries, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to discuss how we might get involved. If there's someone else on your team who handles these types of outreach efforts, I would be grateful for a referral.

Thank you for your time and for the important work you're doing at the intersection of technology and policy.

Best regards,

[Your Name]
[Your Phone Number - optional]
[Your Email]

Subject: Community Group Seeks Engagement with Tech Policy Lab on AI Policy Issues

Dear Tech Policy Lab Team,

I am writing on behalf of "Responsible AI," a recently formed but growing community group based in Seattle that has organized through NextDoor around shared concerns about artificial intelligence policy and its impacts on our community and beyond.

We recently learned about the Tech Policy Lab's important work, particularly your AI and Social Impacts project, which aims to advance artificial intelligence in the public interest. We believe our group's community perspective aligns well with your mission to enhance technology policy through inclusive research and thought leadership.

Our group has been actively engaged in letter-writing campaigns to Seattle-area lawmakers on several pressing AI-related issues:

1. The WISeR Medicare Pilot Program
We are concerned about the implementation of AI systems in Medicare approval workflows and want to ensure adequate oversight, transparency, and patient protections are in place before such systems are widely deployed.

2. Data Center Environmental Impact
We support the call from more than 230 environmental organizations for a national moratorium on new data centers until stronger environmental standards and protections are established. As Seattle residents, we are particularly aware of the local infrastructure implications of AI's growing computational demands.

3. Public Certification of LLM Safety Testing
We advocate for transparent, independent safety testing and public certification processes for large language models before deployment, ensuring accountability and public trust in these systems.

As concerned citizens who seek to influence policy in these areas, we are interested in learning how we might:

- Participate in Tech Policy Lab initiatives
- Contribute community perspectives to your ongoing research and policy recommendations
- Attend relevant public lectures, workshops, or forums
- Connect with faculty members whose research intersects with our concerns
- Potentially collaborate on community education efforts around AI policy

We recognize that effective technology policy requires input from diverse stakeholders, not just technical experts and industry representatives. Our group brings the perspective of everyday citizens who will be directly affected by AI deployment decisions in healthcare, environmental sustainability, and public safety.

We are eager to learn from your expertise while contributing our ground-level perspective on how AI policy issues are affecting Seattle residents.

Thank you for considering our request. We look forward to the possibility of working together to advance responsible AI policy.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
On behalf of the Responsible AI Community Group
Seattle, WA

[Your Contact Information]